Search - Aceyalone :: Hip Hop And The World We Live In

Something to tie you over

DukeOfEarl | Phoenix, AZ United States | 05/26/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album of unreleased material dropped in 2002 to tie fans over between Acey's "Accepted Eclectic" and "Love & Hate" albums. So if you have Acey's 4 LPs already but don't have this, I recommend picking this up to tie you over until Acey's next release. That's really what it's good for.

This album is solid, yet nothing to be overly excited over. Aceyalone shows har far good rhyming can take you because the beats on this album are lacking. Elusive produces the whole thing. While the beats aren't the worst you've heard, overall they're way too laid-back and boring over the course of the album. Not one was really upbeat. Elusive's lifeless strings and pianos get old quite fast, and almost leave Acey as a "fish straight out of water."

Acey keeps it tight, although not one song was truly jaw-dropping. The best songs are "Bigger They Come," "I Think I Know Too Much," and possibly "Say," but they don't quite rank with Ace's best material. To his credit though, not one song is terrible, and there are many others that are interesting or totally new ground for him. He even shows bursts of energy (such as "Scribble on a Clean Surface" and "Say") which he never really displayed on the previous "Accepted Eclectic." The last 4 or 5 songs are really good, as is "I Think..." and maybe "Future Rockers." Everything else is decent, but kinda forgettable.

All in all, not a must have Aceyalone album, but not a bad entry into his catalog. It's definitely for diehards (like myself), and who isn't who's actually heard him before? Acey still very much has IT, and look out for a new solo coming this year, hopefully. I can't wait to see him back in Phoenix again, this time with the rest of the Project Blowed! If you don't know, you need to know, y'all..."